Label



Aug. 14, 1945.

.c. MASON LABEL Filed Feb. 7, 1944 k mu invent: t 01'" adhesive coating.

p STATES PATENT OFFICE LABEL Collins Mason, Beverly Hills, Calif. Application February 7, 1944, Serial No. 521,474

I Claims. (01. 40-2 My invention relates to labels and, in its more particular aspects, has to do with improvements in mounting normally tacky or pressure-sensitive labels in a manner-to facilitate stripping them from their backing sheets preparatory to use.

By the term pressure-sensitive labels". I mean labels whose undersurfacesnre coated with a non-drying adhesive which remains relatively moist and tacky substantially permanently so that they may be temporarily adhered to a backing sheet and subsequently removed therefrom for use. Many such adhesives are well-known in the art, among them being the rubber and synthetic resin adhesives. Rather serious difiiculties have been experienced in this art in mounting the labels on backing sheets in such manner that they may be easily stripped therefrom for use, and also in handling the tacky labels during application'to the article to be labeled. Such labels adhere to the backing sheet with considerable tenacity and not only is it diificult to obtain an initial finger hold on the label to strip it from the backing sheet, but the conventional stripping operation may result in curling of the label, rendering it difficult to handle and evenly apply.

Moreover, conventional means .for mounting such labels are not conducive to the label being automatically stripped and applied by labelin apparatus.

It is, therefore, among the chief objects of my invention to provide a label and mounting therefor which reduces the stripping operation to a relatively simple and speedy one without any danger of spoiling or curling the label and which greatly facilitates applying the label to the object to be labeled after it is stripped from its backing sheet, without it being necessary to have the operator's fingers come in contact with the Another object is the provision of a novel and efficient means for mounting labels onstrips in a manner that they may be separately stripped and applied. I i

Another object is to provide a label mounting which is conducive to being dispensed by automatic apparatus.

My invention has additional objects and advantages and those will become apparent from the following detailed description of particular physical embodiments thereof which I have chosen for'expianatory purposes. In this connection, however, I wish it understood that,in

- its broader aspects as defined by the appended claims, my invention is not intended to be confined to the particular details now to be described since it is obviously susceptible of being carried out in other specific physical forms which the following description will suggest to those familiar with the art.

For purposes of the following explanation I shall 'refer to the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a top plan view; r

Fig. 2 is a section on line 2- -2 of Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a section similar to Fig. 2 but showing the label in process of being stripped from the backing sheet; and

Fig. 4 is a top plan view having substantially the same cross-sectionas Fig. 1 but showing a modified foh'm wherein'a single label is coextem sive with the length of the'backing strip and wherein the single label is perforated to define a plurality of severablesections.

Referring first to Figs. 1, 2 and 3, I show a backing sheet 5, which may be of glassine or other suitable material, composed of two parallel strips in, 5b folded upon themselves to each provide a top label-receiving element or ply 6 and a bottom stripping tab or ply l. The folded edges of the strips 5 are juxtaposed and prevent exposure'of the adhesive between adiacent edges of the strips. The undersurface 8 of each label element I0 is coated with a normally tacky'pressure-sensitive adhesive and adheres tathe labelreceiving element 6 of the backing sheets. In practice the backing sheet may be merely label length, or, as shown, it may be formed in relatively long strips to mount a plurality of labels- II, the backingsheets being perforated at H between labels so that one label-receiving section may be severed from another before strip- Ding. a

It will be observed from the foregoing description that. after a label-carrying section has been thus severed, the label maybe stripped or freed by holding the respective stripping tabs 1 between the fingers as shown in Fig. 3 and pulling outwardly thereon in opposite directions.- To facilitate this operation the outer free edge In of each stripping tab I is oflset from the plane of the free edge of the label-receiving element 6, as by projecting outwardly therebeyond. By this operation the label-carrying portions 6 are in effect rolled from adhesive engagement with the undersurface I of the label so that they do not remove any of the adhesive from the label and so that the label is not curled. Moreover, by holding the label over the surface to be labeled,

the label will drop onto the surface when the stripping is completed, without the necessity of manually touching the label.

If desire'd. the strips in, b may be removed one at a time so that, after the'first one is removed, the adhesive surface of the label exposed by such removal. may be applied to the surface to be labeled by means of the operator using the-other backing strip as a handle, after which the remaining backing strip may be removed.

In Fig. i the structure is as before described except that here, instead of there being a plurality of labels, there is one elongated label Illa coextensive with .the length of: the backing strips Hi, the label being perforated at E6 in register with the perforations Ila of the backing strips.

I claim: 7 v

1. In a label whose undersurface is coated with a normally tacky adhesive, means for mounting U-shape providing a label-receiving ply and a label-stripping ply, the folded edges of said sheets being juxtaposed and the label-receiving ply of one sheet adhering to part of the coated underthe label in a manner to be readily applied to a surface to be labeled, comprising a pair of backing sheets each folded upon itself into U- shape to provide a label-carrying ply bonded to the undersurface of the label by said adhesive and a stripping ply having its free outer edge uncovered whereby to be freely accessible, said sheets being oppositely disposed and having their surface is coated with a normally tacky/adhesive, means for temporar y retaining the label in position to be readil detached, comprising a pair of backing sheets each folded upon itself into a 3. Il'lCOlnblnfltiOll with a label whose under- I surface of the label and the label-receiving ply of the other sheet adhering to another part of said coated undersurface, the label-stripping ply of each sheet being unattached to the label-receiving ply except along its folded edge and hav-' 4. In combination with a label whose undersurface is coated with a normally tacky adhe-' sive, means for temporarily retaining the label in position to be readily detached, comprising a pair of backing sheets each folded upon itself into a U-shape providing a label-receiving ply and a label-stripping ply, the folded edges of said sheets being juxtaposed, in contacting relationship and the label-receiving ply of one sheet adhering to part of the coated undersurface of the label and the label-receiving ply of the other sheet adhering to -another part of said coated undersuriace, the label-stripping ply of each sheet being unattached to the label-receiving P y except along its folded edge and having its outer free edge projecting outwardly beyond the adjacent edge of the label-receiving ply whereby to provide a finger-grip portion. l

5. A label strip comprising a pair of elongated backing sheets'keach longitudinally folded upon itself to provide a top ply and a bottom ply, said backing sheets having their folded edges juxtaposed and each having the outer free edge of its bottom ply projecting outwardly beyond the adjacent edge of the top ply, and an eiongated label strip having its undersurface coated with-a normally tacky adhesive and adhering partlyto the top ply of one of the backing sheets and partly to the top ply vof theother backing sheet, said label strip and backing sheets presenting transverse, registering perforations whereby to .provide a plurality of severable labels mounted on backing sheets. i COLLINS MASON. 

